Banana Bread (lighter recipe)

How do you make a good thing even better? By reducing the calorie and fat content of this irresistible banana bread. Ripe bananas and unsweetened applesauce ensure that the bread stays moist and tender.

Ingredients

1 1/4

cups sugar

1/4

cup unsweetened applesauce

1/4

cup margarine, softened

1/2

cup fat-free cholesterol-free egg product

1 1/2

cups mashed very ripe bananas (3 to 4 medium)

1/2

cup buttermilk

1

teaspoon vanilla

2 1/2

cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour

1

teaspoon baking soda

1

teaspoon salt

1

cup chopped nuts, if desired

Directions

1Move oven rack to low position so that tops of pans will be in center of oven. Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease bottoms only of 2 loaf pans, 8 1/2x4 1/2x2 1/2 inches, or 1 loaf pan, 9x5x3 inches.

2Mix sugar, applesauce and margarine in large bowl. Stir in egg product until well blended. Add bananas, buttermilk and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt just until moistened. Stir in nuts. Pour into pans.

3Bake 8-inch loaves about 1 hour, 9-inch loaf about 1 1/4 hours, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Loosen sides of loaves from pans; remove from pans and place top side up on wire rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour, before slicing. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature up to 4 days, or refrigerate up to 10 days.